Corn porridge: cooking options, recipes, calories

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Corn is an unpretentious plant that is grown almost all over the world, from China to the Caribbean. It ranks second after wheat in terms of sales among other types of grain. There are thousands of ways to prepare a wide variety of golden cereal dishes. It is boiled, s alted, added to salads, used to make desserts, snacks, alcoholic beverages, ground into flour and cereals. Corn porridge is one of the most popular breakfasts in the world.

Culinary biography

Today, corn is grown on all continents, but just over 5 centuries ago, maize (this is how this cereal is still called in the USA and some other countries) was cultivated only in the homeland of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans - in Central America. An Indian legend says that once an unprecedented famine came to the earth - people died in families, became brutal, were ready to kill and eat each other. Andthen one brave and selfless girl prayed to heaven and asked them to take her life, but save the people, and immediately turned into an ear. Yellow grains planted and grew a tall plant with large leaves and fruits wrapped in them, and so that people do not forget that corn must be taken care of like a tender young girl, the heroine's curly hair was left on the cob.

The Indians ate the vegetable in different forms: fried, boiled. They are credited with the invention of corn porridge. Christopher Columbus brought maize to Europe in the 15th century. From there, by sea, the vegetable came to Western and East Asia, including Turkey, and during the years of the Russian-Turkish war (1768-1774), Russia also got acquainted with corn with the annexation of Crimea.

Vitamin and mineral composition

Corn porridge is a delicious and extremely he althy treat! The vitamin-mineral complex contained in it is impressive: provitamin A (carotene), group B is almost in its entirety (folic and pantothenic acids, thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin, biotin), vitamins C, E, PP. Corn is rich in iron, copper, calcium. And the content of titanium, boron, aluminum, sulfur, potassium, sodium, tin, cob alt, nickel, molybdenum, etc. makes it almost a champion among natural products. True, its composition, like many other grains, includes phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of vitamins and minerals, but with proper preparation, its effect is neutralized,therefore, it is important to know how to cook corn porridge with milk or water. We will talk about this later.

How many calories are in corn porridge

The nutritional value of this product directly depends on the method of preparation. Corn porridge is considered not very high-calorie, containing a large amount of fiber. So, cereals cooked in milk with the addition of a small amount of butter contain about 300 kcal per serving (150 grams). At the same time, carbohydrates are 45 g, fats - 8 g, proteins - 9.5 g. Dairy-free corn porridge will replenish your energy supply by 180 kcal (carbohydrate content - 20 g, fat - 6.7 g, proteins - 4.7) by portion.

Benefits of corn

The set of vitamins and minerals contained in corn porridge makes it incredibly he althy. Judge for yourself:

• removes toxins and excess cholesterol;
• supports cardiovascular function;
• strengthens immunity;
• prevents early aging;
• normalizes metabolism and intestinal microflora;
• positive effect on dental he alth;
• reduces appetite;
• has an antioxidant effect, etc.

Corn porridge is included in the diet for losing weight, the elderly, as well as those suffering from diabetes and liver disorders. She is advised to eat for pregnant and lactating mothers (to avoid colic in a baby, doctors advise to refrain from cooking with milk), and since there is no gluten in the composition, they are allowed to enter as one of the firstcomplementary foods for babies!

Contraindications

Paradoxically, the rich vitamin and mineral composition of porridge has contraindications. Corn porridge is not recommended for:

• appetite disorders in adults and children;
• dystrophy;
• exacerbation of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, peptic ulcer and diseases of the duodenum;
• allergies to carotene and other elements found in corn.

How to choose and store corn grits

There are a few secrets you need to know to get the most benefit and taste:

1. The color of corn grits can vary from white to bright yellow. It is believed that the more intense the color, the better the raw materials from which the product is made.
2. The consistency of cereals should be homogeneous, without foreign elements and inclusions.
3. You can often find steamed cereals on the shelves - it cooks faster, but, according to the principles of proper nutrition, is less useful: the product that has undergone minimal processing has the best cleansing effect.
4. Pay attention to the tightness of the package and the date of production - the fresh product has the best taste.
5. It is better to store such cereals in a dark and dry place. The ideal temperature regime is from minus to plus 5-6 degrees Celsius.

How to cook porridge

The question is how to cook corn porridge onmilk or water - a matter of individual taste. Despite the fact that adherents of proper nutrition claim that grains boiled with water are he althier for the body, there is also an opposite argument: the dairy product has twice the protein, which most of us are significantly lacking in our daily diet.

To cook corn porridge with water or milk, we need:

• 500ml milk/water;
• 3 tablespoons of dry product (if you prefer thin corn porridge, you can use 2 tablespoons of grits - the consistency in this case will be a thin puree soup);
• s alt, sugar, butter to taste.

S alted and sweetened liquid is brought to a boil, grits are added and simmered for about 25 minutes. Porridge must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn and lumps do not form. You can do this with a whisk. Then you need to turn off the stove and leave it under the lid for another 15 minutes - the porridge will steam and be very tender. Oil can be added at this point.

Cooking Secrets

Before cooking, the cereal can be lightly fried in a pan without oil and water - so the porridge will be tastier and more aromatic.

You can also start any whole grain cereal with a soak to get rid of the phytic acid that blocks the absorption of vitamins and minerals. The cereal must be placed at least for several hours in filtered water in a ratio of 1: 3 and, if possible, add any acid - lemon juice, vinegar or a fermented milk product. Such cereals will cook faster.

Cook porridgebetter in a thick-walled saucepan to avoid burning and achieve even cooking.

Since corn is a starchy product, you can cook it in two waters: bring to a boil, drain and pour hot water again. This will get rid of excess starch and debris.

Sugar can be replaced with honey, as well as fruits, berries, dried apricots, etc.

Family butter for Russians can be replaced with coconut or vegetable oil: linseed, almond, grape seed, etc. But do not forget that butter can affect the taste of the finished product or add an unusual smell.

Perfectly combines corn porridge with pumpkin. For cooking, it is necessary to boil the peeled and cut into small cubes pumpkin in sweetened water for about 15 minutes, then add it to the freshly cooked hot porridge and leave it under the lid for another quarter of an hour. There is also an alternative recipe: the pumpkin is rubbed on a grater, frozen in the form of a pancake, if necessary, the right amount of orange delicacy is broken off and added to the semi-finished cereal. The taste of pumpkin will be pronounced, but the homogeneity of the porridge will not be disturbed!

If you do not like sweet porridge or want to prepare a side dish based on it, you can add cheese, browned onions and / or carrots, stew, sauce and so on.

Cooking in a pressure cooker

Recently, many have appreciated the capabilities of pressure cookers and multicookers in preparing simple dishes, because you can not stand at the stove with a spoon, for fear of burning. Timethe cooking time is reduced, and if you set a timer and put the ingredients in the bowl in the evening, the pleasant aroma of ready-made porridge will wake you up in the morning!

So, the recipe for cooking corn porridge in a pressure cooker is simple, but there are a couple of secrets: it is better to use milk with 3.5% fat or less to avoid "running away", and the walls and bottom of the bowl can be smeared with butter to the middle. We fall asleep porridge, pour milk or water, add s alt and sugar to taste. We close the lid and select the “Milk porridge” mode, it is better to change the time to “40 minutes”, and after the readiness signal, leave it on heating for another quarter of an hour. If the porridge thickens too much, you can dilute it with hot water or milk.

Foreign "relatives" of corn porridge

We have already talked about the popularity of corn in the world. Porridge from a solar product is also loved in different countries, and in some it is even included in the list of national dishes!

Mamaliga is considered a traditional dish in Romania, Moldova and Western Ukraine. This was originally the name for hard boiled millet, but when corn appeared on the banks of the Danube, it completely replaced the less rich groats, and what was considered "poor people's bread" became a popular dish in many homes in this region. For cooking, you need coarse cornmeal, water and s alt. The brew must be constantly stirred and brought to a complete thickening. Hominy cut into slices like bread is served with herbs, vegetables, cheese.

Abysta - Abkhaziana variant of hominy, which is often cooked in milk, seasoned with nut butter and served with suluguni cheese. Unlike Danube porridge, abysta is made from finely ground cornmeal.

Polenta is one of the favorite Italian side dishes. It is also eaten in southern Switzerland, in Serbia, Bulgaria and Croatia. The cooking method is not much different from hominy, but Italians sometimes fry their porridge in oil, cut into slices.

Brazilian angu, an ancient Native American recipe, is more like a thick soup than porridge.

Caribbean corn porridge, also known as "kog" or "pop", is a traditional Jamaican breakfast. It is made with coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla seasonings, and fresh mangoes, nuts and berries are added to it.

By the way, just like Russians, Jamaicans love corn porridge with pumpkin!